Gas Fireplace Damper Open Or Closed

See hurricane fireplace tips to see more about why you should close the fireplace damper with you are expecting heavy rains.

Gas fireplace damper open or closed. If it s hooked to the side of the fireplace wall then this probably means that the damper is closed. The damper in many zc fireplaces is a simple metal plate that pivots open and pivots closed when a lever is pushed or pulled. Close the fireplace damper in preparation for a hurricane or heavy rains. And in fact in some gas log situations where it s conversion from a wood burner to a gas burning log they put a bracket on a damper to prevent you from ever being able to close it because that could be very dangerous.

You can also tell if your damper is open or closed just by listening. Close it when it s not it use. It s not slightly open it s all the way open. Just a bit of fyi.

You ve got to make sure that vents ph up the house. Note that most epa certified zc fireplaces do not have a damper. An open damper allows smoke to exit the chimney rather than backing up into the house. The glass between the firebox and your home prevents cold or heat from coming down the chimney and by leaving the damper open at all times you eliminate the risk of having gas build up or backdraft into your home.

If you start a fire when the damper is closed you ll realize the mistake quickly when the room fills up with smoke. Operating the fireplace with the damper partially closed will not. A chain that s dangling freely and unsecured is a telltale sign that the damper is open. In the picture above you see an open masonry chimney damper and the picture below shows it closed.

If you home is 2 story and you leave the damper open and don t have glass doors the flow through the damper and this is with fireplace at room temp can be over 500 feet per minute. The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. Gasketed sealed doors keep cold air from infiltrating. To close a throat damper in a fireplace lift the handle and pull it back towards you.

The chain can be found on the inside of your fireplace. Is the fireplace damper open or closed. When the fireplace is in use the damper whether it s a throat damper just above the firebox or a top mount damper at the top of the chimney must be open.